Wardrobe type foldable luggage bag



May 13, 1952 'Ml KI SH, JR., ETAL WARDROBE TYPE FOLDABLE LUGGAGE BAG 2 SHEETS-SHEET 1 Filed Sept. 28, 1948 INVEN T R m m;

. 4 TEE P ATTORNE;

May 13, 195 M. KlSH, JR., ETAL WARDROBE TYPE FOLDABLE LUGGAGE BAG 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2 Filed Sept. 28, 1948 INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented May 13, 1952 WARDROBE TYPE FOLDABLE LUGGAGE BAG Michael Kish, .lr., Hightstown, and John Robert McNeil, Lawrenceville, N. J and Edgar Kirby, Washington, D. (3., assignors to Atlantic Products Corporation, Trenton, N. J a corporation of New Jersey Application September 28, 1948, Serial No. 51,512

3 Claims. (01. 190-43) This inventionrelates to luggage bags, and pertains particularly to the folding wardrobe type of bag as illustrated generally in U. S. Patent No. 2,086,895. Such bags have been very popular for use because when the bag is opened, the length of the garment compartment is sufiicient to receive garments such as a suit of clothing carried on a coat hanger without folding. In using such a bag it is customary practice to hang the open bag on a suitable support and to use it as a wardrobe. When the bag is closed or folded for carrying purposes, the clothing suspended within the bag is less susceptible to wrinkling than when folded and packed in the usual manner.

Such bags have been less popular for use by women, however, because womens dresses, being usually in one piece, are longer than a mans suit and cannot be accommodated in the garment compartment without previous folding.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved construction having particular advantages for use by women, and also having increased advantage for use by men for, packing long garments such as rain coats, top coats, bathrobes, etc.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

A preferred embodiment of the invention selected for purposes of illustration is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which,

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the bag in folded position ready for carrying. I

Figure 2 is a perspective view showing the bag in unfolded position suspended from a suitable support.

Figures 3 and 4 are similar views showing the front flap open, Figure 3 showing the bag empty and Figure 4 showing the bag with garments inserted.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the hanger arms and supporting bracket.

Figure 6 is a front elevation of a modified coat hanger.

Figure 7 is a perspective view showing the article compartment.

Referring to the drawings, the bag comprises inner and outer panels, I and 2 respectively, substantially rectangular in shape, said panels being spaced apart and connected along their corresponding end and side edges to a web or gusset 3 which forms the ends and sides of the bag when unfolded. The said panels and web may be made of any desired flexible material of good durability such as canvas or leather, for example.

The inner panel I is so constructed as to provide convenient access to the interior or garment compartment of the bag and is cut to provide a rectangular flap 4, the side edges of which are secured to the adjacent edges of the panel by slide fasteners 5 and 6, and the top edge of which may be secured to the panel by a suitable fastener 1. The panel terminates in a fold line spaced from the bottom of the bag.

As a means of supporting garments on hangers within the bag, one or more swinging arms I0 and I I are provided, said arms being pivotally mounted to swing horizontally on brackets which are secured to the gusset wall of the bag in any suitable manner, as by rivets. As shown in Figure 3, each bracket consists of an upper member I2 mounted near the top of the bag and a lower member I3, and the depending pivoted portions of the arms I0 and II are preferably extended vertically downward with their lower ends pivotally mounted in the lower members I3 so as to give adequate support to the swinging arms and to permit them to swing freely even when carrying considerable weight. Preferably, also, the lower bracket members I3 are connected by a cross bar 9 which is riveted at its ends to the gusset wall with the brackets I3, thus contributing adesirable rigidity to the swinging arm assembly and to the entire structure. Preferably a pair of swinging arms are provided, mounted at opposite sides of the bag, so that the bag will be evenly balanced when the arms are swung outwardly as illustrated in Figure 3. Each of the arms In and II is provided at its free or swinging end with a depending portion I4 having a suitable fitting I5 pivotally connected thereto, which said fittings are adapted to receive and hold one or more clothes hangers. Preferably such hangers should be easily attachable to and detachable from the fittings, and for this purpose the end portions of said fittings are provided with opposed notches I 6, adapted to receive the opposed supporting prongs I! of the hangers I8. The provision of the swinging arms greatly increases the utility of the bag when used for wardrobe purposes.

As shown in Figures 4' and 5, when the bag is packed, the swinging ends of the arms I0 and II carrying hangers are swung inside the garment compartment, and if desired, a supporting bracket I9 may be provided to engage and support the ends of the arms. The bracket I 9 may be secured to the interior wall of the outer panel 2 in any desired manner, as by rivets. In the embodiment illustrated, said bracket comprises prongs 20 having a slot therebetween adapted to receive the portions [4 of the arms. The prongs may be provided with grooves 21 which hold the arms in 7 place.

teners 23 extends along both side edges, so that the apron may be opened from either side. or may be detached from the flap, but. if desired", one side edge of the apron may be stitched to. the flap and snap or slide fasteners may be used onl'y'o'n the other side edge. In either case, in packingthe bag, after the arms have been swung to the position shown in Figure 4, the bottom ends of long garments may be enclosed between the apron and the flap, 'as shown in Figure 4, so that the ends of the garments are enclosed and held in position. The upper end of the apron is stiffened by a bar. 24-, preferably of metal to provide a s'ub stantial degree of rigidity, so that when. it is desired to close the fiap, the bar provides a well defined fold line for the garments. The bar may be enclosed within a hem extending along. the upper edge of the apron, as shown. Likewise, the lower end of the apron may be stiffened by a similar bar 24', such bar beinguseful to form a fold line in the case of garments which may be of such length as to extend beyond the bottom of the apron, This bar may also be enclosedwithin a hem extending along the lower edge'of the apron.

If desired, an elastic band 25 may be provided to hold the. upper portions of the garments in lace in the usual manner.

The provision of the swinging arms and of the apron 22 makes possible additional. utilities in the bag which have not heretofore been possible; Thus, since the lower ends of garments suspended from. the hangers are received and heldin position by the apron and need not be enclosed in the lower portion of the garment compartment, a space is left which may be utilized for other articles such as shoes, for example. Accordingly, a transverse partition 26 is provided, having one end hinged to the gusset wall at 21 and having the other end connected to the opposite gusset wall by a snap. fastener 28 so as to form. a separate compartment for such articles. Such partition provides easy access to the space, but. retains the shoes or articles in the space when the bag is folded for carrying.

The provision of the apron also makes it; P95.- sible to stagger the positions of the hangers yer-,- tically in order to obtain a better distribution of the bulk of the garments, particularly at 'the shoulders which are frequently padded. This may be done by providing one or more hangers with an extended neck 29 as shown in Figure 6, so that when suspended on the fittings 15, the hanger arms of these hangers will be located below the arms of the standard hangers.

It will be understood that the invention may be variously modified and embodied within the scope of the subjoined claims.

We claim as our invention:

1. A folding wardrobe luggage bag comprising,

in combination, an inner panel and an outer panel, a gusset connected to corresponding side and end edges of said panels and spacing said panels to form a garment compartment enclosed therebln, a flap formed in said inner panel and providing access to said compartment, fasteners for securing the side edges of said flap to the adjacent edges of said panel, and an apron positioned on the inside wall of said fiap, said apron being substantially co-extensive with said flap, and secured to said flap along the side edges thereof to enclose lower ends of garments in the space between the. apron and the flap.

2. A folding wardrobe luggage bag comprising, in combination, an inner panel and an outer panel, a gusset connected to corresponding side and end edges of said panels and spacing said panels: to form a garment compartment enclosed thereby, a flap formed in said inner panel and providing, access tov said compartment, fasteners fjor'securing, the side edges of said flap to the adjacent edges of said panel, and an apron posi-. tione'diojn the inside wall of said flap and secured tosaidfflap along the side edges thereof to enclose lower ends of garments in the space between the apron and the flap, the upper end of said apron being provided with a stiffening bar forming a well defined fold line for garments enclosedby said apron.

31A folding wardrobe luggage bag comprising, in. combination, an inner panel and an outer panel, a gusset connected to corresponding side and end edges of said panels and spacing said panels to form a garment compartment enclosed thereby, a, flap formed in said inner panel and providing access to said compartment, fasteners for securing the side edges of said flap to the adjacent edges of said panel, and an apron positioned on the inside wall of said flap and secured to said flap alon the side edges thereof to enclose lower ends of garments in the space between the apron and the flap, the upper and lower ends of said apron each being provided with a stiffening bar forming well defined fold, lines for garments enclosed by said apron.

MICHAEL KISI-I, JR; J. ROBERT McNEIL. EDGAR KI BY.

1 REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent: 

